Sawing apparatus.



No. 777.533. PATENTBD DEC. 13, 1904. v. PPAFF.

SAWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.13,1903.

NO MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES.-

f .INVEggIOR. 07 5 6. 45

A ITO/ENE).

No. 777,533. PATBNTED DEC. 13, 1904.

' v. PFAEF.

SAWING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 13. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES; J! vMf/A, M

ATTORNEY.

NO. 771533 PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

v. PFAPP. 1 SAWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

4/ g PV/TNESSES: INVENTOR. Z %7 WA 5 J m /O'M@L ZMM;* m

ATTORNEY.

No. 777,533. PATENTBD DEC. 13, 1904. I V. P-PAFF.

SAWING APPARATUS.

a APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1903.

NO MODEL.

PEG-J6 WITNESSES X%% 7 INVENTOR. N m W7 @478 452 Jim ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

VALENTINE PFAFF, OF SAN FRANCISCO. CALIFORNIA.

SAWING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0.

777,533, dated December 13, 1904.

Application filed February 13, 1903. Serial No. 143,223. (No-model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VALENTINE PFAFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, in the State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sawing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is primarily a device for guiding and retracting (or advancing) timbercutting crosscut-saws wherewith logs, piles, fallen or standing trees, &c., can be cut at any desired anglehorizontal, vertical, or oblique regardless of the lay of the ground or the presence or absence of any available fou dation; and it is designed to be conveniently applicable, with corresponding modifications, for use with pit-saws, bucksaws, hack-saws, and other saws.

The principal advantages which it is the aim of my invention to gain are a straightline reciprocation of the saw, simplicity, compactness, and efliciency of a saw-retracting spring arrangement, an automatic feed, universality of adjustment in all the parts of the machine, and its convenient portability.

These and other advantages of the invention and the means employed therefor will be explained as I proceed.

Reference will be made herein to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters indicate like or analogous parts in the several figures, such that the dissimilar analogous modifications shall be distinguished by distinct indices.

Figure 1 is a plan of my invention, showing it as applied to the felling of timber. Fig. 2is a detached front elevation thereof, some parts being omitted. Figs. 3, I, 5, 6, and 7 are detail views showing sundry parts of the same form of the invention on an enlarged scale. Fig. 8 is a perspective illustrating the invention as applied to pit-sawing. Fig. 9 is a partly-broken perspective view of a convenient form of link for attaching the saw to its retracting mechanism. Fig. '10 is a perspective showing port. Fig. 11 is also a perspective of a modilied mountlng for the saw and its retractor. Fig. 12 is an elevation showing the apparatus a variant form of the .aw-supapplied to a sawbuck. Fig. 13 is a perspective of another simple form of the invention. Fig. let is a similar view showing the invention adapted for woodworkers and carpenters use. Fig. 15 is a side elevation of one form of the saw-retracting device detached from the apparatus. Figs. 16 and 17 are side and end elevations, respectively, illustrative of the invention as adapted for use with hacksaws.

The plan, Fig. 1, its corresponding elevation, F 2, and the thereto-related detail views, Figs. 3 to 7, represent a typical form of my invention as a whole that is truly characteristic and in its various parts illustrative of the essential and novel features of the invention. Ishall therefore direct mydescription particularly to these views, Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, and in a general way to all the figures.

In itsmost universally adaptable form my improved sawing apparatus consists of an adjustable support A; a base-or frame B, adjustably secured to the said support: a dog U and its shaft C the latter connecting the support with the dog and adapted to hold the support and its frame Bin any desirable position relatively to the object to be cut; a traction spring mechanism D, supported upon a slidable block E and adapted to retract the saw when released after having been pulled away from the block by the operator or power; means for holding, guiding, and automatically moving the slidable block to feed the saw into the cut, and a toggle-link device F for the flexible connection (in operable relation) of the (or any) saw G with the retracting and feeding mechanism.

The support is conveniently made, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, of a T-coupling A, such as is used in connection with gas or water pipes. The transverse member of this T affords a socket for a supporting-stem B of the base or frame B, which stem may be clamped firmly, in any desired position within and about its bearing by means of a set-screw B Thus is provided an adjustable pivotal connection between the supportand the base orframe which it is made to carry. By preference I use the ordinary "it-coupling of commerce, and therefore the base-supporting stem and its socket need not be tapering, as represented in Fig. 5, although they can be so made, if desired.

As shown, Figs. 1, 2, 3, the base or frame B consists of a narrow board to the under side of which is screwed a small plate 13*, also secured by screw-threads to the upper end of the stem B Upon it is mounted the sawworking mechanism hereinafter described.

I employ the aforesaid dog C and its connecting-shaft C to hold my saw-working device in correct operable relation to the timber to be out, as previously intimated. e will first assume that the shaft C is normally horizontal and that the support A is also in its normal aspect when vertically disposed. As stated before, the support and dog-shaft are adjustably connected, which is economically effected by making the said shaft of a short length of pipe and threading it into the central member of the T-coupling used for the said support. (See Figs. 1 and This arrangement operates to fix the support and its connected parts rigidly to the dog-shaft and besides admits of their collective adjustment torsionally of the shaft. Their individual variable positions of course will correspondingly vary such adjustment, as will be understood. The dog may be given different forms, as will appear later. Usually it is made fast to the timber, and the whole saw-working device is held relatively disposed thereto by means of one or two prongs or projections (1 adapted to be forced into the timber to be out or else into some adjacent stump, log, ground, or other convenience by percussion or pressure. I have indicated the timber by H on the drawings.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the fore-mentioned traction spring mechanism comprises two oppositely-wound spiral springs, (respectively lettered D and D spring-supporting pintles D and D*, socketed in the top of the block E, also previously mentioned; fixed collars D and D detachably secured to these pintles, one to each at the outer end thereof, and movable collars D and D arranged to rock upon the said pintles above their sockets. The opposite ends of the springs are respectively fastened to the fixed and movable collars in such a way that the spring D joins the collars D and D torsionally together, and the spring D likewiseconnects the collars D and D T he two movable collars provide the means of attachment between the forenamed toggle-link device F and the spring mechanism, which, it will be observed, is functioned to return the said collars to a given position when rocked out of it by means of the device. The arms and links of the device F necessarily swing in opposite directions, wherefore the springs D D will have correspondingly opposite pressure. The pressure from these springs is obtained by. torsion in the direction in which they are wound, whether right or left. The said springs are held from buckling against their supporting-pintles by projections D provided on the movable collars. Fig. 7 is designed to give an enlarged view of one of the said projections D in connection with its collar and spring.

Two of the toggle-links F, above referred to, are separately fastened at their adjoining ends, one to each of the movable collars D D or extensions thereof, and the other links are pivotally connected with one end of the saw Gr. Fig. 1 illustrates these toggle-links drawn forward against the adverse pressure of the springs D D by the operator pulling the saw at its end that is remote from the said togglelinks on the opposite side of the timber H. As the operator releases the saw the tensile or compressive tendency of the springs to regain their normal positions swings the togglelinks back so as to retract the saw to the starting-point, which is near the block E. It is assumed to be understood that the sawyer when operating the saw in connection with this apparatus has the timber or material to be cut disposed between him and the machine, the machinery in general simply performing the work of the second man in guiding, retracting, and feeding the saw.

The block E, which, as before stated, carries the retracting mechanism D, is slotted longitudinally and mounted on a bar E, that passes through the slot thereof and is itself supported above and parallel with the base B upon rings or washers E (seen in Figs. 2 and 3,) interposed between the ends of the said bar and base and held by bolts E* passing through the same. Thus mounted the said block can slide along the bar and base thereunder and will allow the saw-retractor to be shifted to accommodate the cutting. For small trees or logs the cut may well be made without moving the block, in which case it can he stayed, if at all required, by means of a set-screw impinging against the rear side of the mounting bar, as suggested in dotted lines at Fig. 1; otherwise the block E may be provided with a beveled pin E, Fig. A, and the bar E with a line of holes E adapted to be successively engaged thereby. The pin will advance from one hole to another in a manner that is well understood as the saw advances into the cut and draws the retractor along. I have found that no special feed mechanism need be provided to advance the saw in using my im proved apparatus; but a satisfactory feed is had with it for ordinary work by setting the spring retracting device at an angle with relation to the side where the saw is to begin the cut, so that it will carry and press the saw, through its lever connection, against the timber or other object to be sawed. This is exemplified in Fig. 1. As there illustrated it is obvious that the saw-retractor can be so turned as to cause the toggle-links normally to point to the center of the tree H or even past its center on the left of the operator, and consequently the saw, which he swings out to the right with the thereto-attached toggle-links to begin the cut, will be gradually forced inward or automatically fed into the tree by lateral pressure as the sawing proceeds.

To hold the base or frame B immovably rigid with relation to the dog-bar C at any point to which it is adjusted, I provide (in addition to the set-screw B pressing on the pivot B two braces, as B having each a screw-threaded eye .13 at one end for engagement with one of the bolts E, above mentioned, and a tooth or prong B at the other end for fastening into opposite sides of the timber to be sawed. Only one of these braces is shown in full in Fig. 1; but it is clearly seen how they can be applied on either side of the tree to correctly adjust the frame B and properly locate the saw for any particular cut, and if in effecting theadjustment the said braces are not conveniently attachable to the tree they may as well be fastened to any other suitable object.

I shall now briefly describe a few of the modifications that can be made in the several parts of my improved sawing-machine without deviating from its underlying principle. These are introduced herein for the twofold purpose of facilitating the practice of my invention in so far as it will be found adapted to various wants, conditions, and circum stances and of laying a proper foundation for the claims hereinafter to be made.

Fig. 8 represents a form of the apparatus specially adapted for pit-sawing. As here shown the machine comprises two dogs C, with their shafts two frames 6, supported from these dog-bars by studs a, projecting from the under side of the said frames and telescoping into the shafts; a bar E extending from one frame to the other longitudinally of the log to be sawed and movable laterally in and at right angles to both frames, so as to admit of successive adjustments to cut any thickness of board or plank; a block E, slidable on the bar E from which block the saw Gr and its retractor are suspended, and a weight J for advancing the block as the saw advances in making the cut. The stud a, it will be observed, fills the oflice of the beforedescribed T coupling or support A in connecting each frame to its dog-bar and admits of longitudinal as well as pivotal or torsional adjustment by a set-screw a Other setscrews, of which two forms are shown, 6 and c clamp the ends of the bar in any desired position in the two frames by being driven through suitable holes a. The frames are steadied by a suitable number of braces B attached by one end, substantially in the man ner hereinabove explained, to either frame or the dog-bar thereof and driven into the side of the log at the other end. The weight J is attached to the block 131 by a small chain or construction will be better understood after the description of the subsequent Figs. 11, 13, 14:, and 15. The pintle D here is placed. in a bracket 6 secured to the under side of the slidable block E. The block can be set so as to momentarily remain in any given position by means of the set-screw E, hereinbefore mentioned.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a clip K for conveniently linking the saw and toggle-links of the retracting device. A slot K is provided at one end of this clip to receive the saw end to be pulled on, which is adapted to be held therein by a small bolt K", passed through suitable holes of the clip and acorres 'ionding eye in the saw end. A nut K is provided to engage the threaded end of the bolt, and a hood-like projection K superimposes the head of the same. At the other end of the linking-clip extend parallel lugs K, between which the toggle-links can be inserted and secured by a pivot-pin passing through holes K Different linking means may be employed, however, as my invention is not limited in this respect. Ordinarily the plain bolt or pivot connection shown in Fig. l and other figures of the drawings will be suliicient.

A modified. support and supporting-base for the saw-retractor are shown at Fig. 10. In this figu re the support consists of an elongated collar a", which is open or slitted at one side. By means of oppositely-disposed lugs or eX- tensions a", iirojecting laterally from its slitted side, and a set-bolt a for compressing these lugs the collar a can be securely clamped to the dog-bar C in any desired position longitudinally and circumferentially, thereby effecting a like adjustment of the parts thereto connected. The sliding and pivotal connection thus provided between the dog-bar and support, it will be seen, allows the parts to be adjusted after the dog has been driven home.

The base, which is preferably made integral with the support, comprises a hollow stem 1 rising from the top thereof, a circular flange Z2 forming a table-like support at the upper or outer end of this stem, and wings 6*, extending from opposite sides of the stem be low the said flange and at right angles to the axial line of the support. From the outer eX- tremities of the wings 6" project studs 7f, which are provided as attaching means for the braces B, before described. The saw-retractor intended to be used with this modified support and base has only the pintle l)", as in Fig. 8 and in the other figures presently to be examined, and the same is held at one end in the hollow portion of the base, where it can be turned and clamped by a set-screw Z) at any point, so as to hold the retractor at any required angle relatively to the dog or the ob ject to be cut.

Several modifications are embodied in Fig. 11. In the first place, the support and the sliding block are combined in one element consisting of a cylindrical piece, (marked (6 secondly, the bar, slid e, or guide for the block (which bar is a separate member in Figs. 1 and 2) is likewise one with the dog-bar, hearing the reference character C thirdly, the dog C is integral or immovably rigid with its said shaft C the same being represented as driven into the ground or some outside object; fourthly, the base, (designated 6 which carries the saw-retractor, is also made in one piece with the combined support and block aforesaid, to which it is joined by a short integral stem 6 Other modifications, more or less important, will appear as the description proceeds.

- The element a is formed with two longitudinal intersecting slots (0 and (a through either one of which the dog-bar can be passed from either end, thereby permitting longitudinal adjustment of the base and retractor vertically or horizontally, admitting of their being adjusted circularly and allowing them to be reversed to cut in opposite directions. The base is cylindrical, as shown, and disposed at right angles to the similarly-shaped combined block and support. These parts, with the saw-retractor thereto attached, are held at the proper point or elevation up or along the anchorshaft while the cutting goes on either by means of a weight for by a set-screw E The weight is suspended at one end of a cord or chain passing over a sheave and having its other end fastened to the above-mentioned stem 6 The sheave f is suitably mounted at the upper or outer end of the shaft C Then the weight is used, the set-screw is properly retracted. Otherwise the latter is driven against the edge of the dog-bar into either slot (0 or a The saw-retractor, as illustrated in this figure, includes simply one pintle, the pintle D previously referred to, which is socketed in either end of the base Z2 and can be adjusted pivotally therein in any position that will favor the cutting. The other parts included with the pintle D in this form of the saw-retractor are the fixed collar D the movable collars D and D the toggle-links F, duplicate springs D, and the projections D. The movable collars here are located centrally on the pintle, so that the movable collar D shall face the fixed collar D and the movable collar D shall be opposed to the pintles socket, and the springs D are wound around the pintle and fastened by their opposite ends to the said fixed collar, pintle-socket, and movable collars in such a manner that the upper or outer spring shall be secured to and torsionally join together the collars D and D and the lower or inner spring shall likewise be fast to and join the collar D and the socket of the pintle. As the two springs D are necessarily superimposed and arranged to be twisted one from its lower end and the other from its upper end, they are both wound in the same direction, and their curvature determines which member of the toggle-links is to be attached to the collar D ancl which one to the collar D". This form of the apparatus (represented by Fig. 11) is made with two arms C and G that are oppositely extended at right angles from the upper or outer end of the dog-bar. These arms are bent downwardly or inwardly at their outer extremities, each of which is provided with two studs, as If, disposed at right angles one to the other and adapted each to hold a brace, as B, by passing through its eye 13. The braces, it will be understood, are interchangeable and will respectively be attached to either one of the studs, according to the direction in which it may be expedient to swing them in order to enable them to properly grasp the steadying object and maintain the apparatus in a given position. v

A very simple and inexpensive form of the apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 12, which form is adapted for use in connection with a sawbuck and bucksaw. The saw-retractor in the present case is attached to the outer end of a plain bar 6 that is screwed at its inner end across the legs of the sawbuck L at either end thereof. It will be noticed that the saw in this apparatus has no tension-frame and does not need-any.

Another simple form of the invention is illustrated at Fig. 13, which shows a machine adapted for use with small saws, such as meat-saws and other similar cutting-tools, and made to be bolted to a block, bench, or other convenience. This form of the apparatus has a single spring saw-retractor, which, as shown, consists of the pintle D the spring D therearound, and the two movable collars D and D The pintle is fixed at its lower end in a base if and its upper end is connected with a brace Z) that will keep it rigid upon the stand to which the apparatus is secured. The movable collars are secured to and arranged one at each end of the spring and have gooseneck. extensions D to admit of the tongs F being brought close to each other for the proper connecting and operation of the saw.

For cutting down driven piles and generally for sawing logs or lumber not varying greatly in size I provide the form of apparatus shown at Fig. 1 L. This machine is anchored by means of two oppositely-located clamps c and 0', that are adjustably slidable on parallel guide-bars 0 and 0 and adapted to grasp between them the timber or object to be sawed. The guidebars 0 and 0 are connected one with the other by cross members 0 and 0' one of which is partly in the form of a screw-threaded rod and the other one is integral with the bar a, forming an L therewith. These parts 0 0" a" o constitute the sides of a rectangular frame and three of them are bifurcated at one end to permit sliding of the frames sides one into another, as will be readily seen. The several members of the said frame and its said clamps are secured to one another after adjustment by pins 0 passing through holes 0 and by a tightener 0 engaging the threaded portion of the rod or cross member 0. The saw-retractor, which is detailed at Fig. 15, is attached to the outer end of a bar 6 connected to and projecting outwardly from the clamp c, Fi 14. It is of the same construction as the retractor of Fig. 11, excepting that a fixed collar D takes the place of the socket-piece as a stay for the outer end of the spring D at the lower or inner end of the pintle l), and this end of the pintle is screw-threaded. so that after being passed through the bar 6 it will be securely held in its adjusted position thereon by means of a nut or tightener, as D.

The construction of the saw-retractor used with the machines embodying the modifications of Figs. 8 and 10 should now be understood, as the arrangement of fixed and movable collars and springs on the pintle 1') thereof is practically the same as was described with reference to Fig. 11 and the succeeding views above mentioned.

Figs. 16 and 17 represent a form of the apparatus specially devised for hacksaws. The apparatus in these views comprises a small frame Z), having under it a short stem 5 by means of which it can be firmly held in a vise, as M. The frame 6 itself carries a vise m, securely fastened on one end thereof and adapted to grasp and hold the iron or other metal to be sawed, and from the other end of the said frame is supported the saw-retractor, which is of one of the forms already described.

All the modifications above set forth are practically interchangeable or substitutionary parts of a more or less complete sawing apparatus typified in about the fullest degree by the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and related views, since most if not all the elements of the various forms are virtually included therein and their several functions performed thereby. To elucidate the scope of my invention, I have chosen to embody some of its modifiable features in apparently different machines; but these features manifestly could be incorporated in the specific apparatus first described, such, for instance, as having a single retractive spring, or one pintle with two springs instead of two pintles with a spring on each, 620. Every form of machine herein shown is planned after the same system, through which are secured a straight movement and a uniformtension of the saw, permitting the use of a saw of half the usual weight, and consequently easier to operate, making a smaller cut and doing, as

proved by test, a good deal more work than the ordinary saw with a better effect.

TV hat T claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a retractive means, a support for the central body portion thereof, a cutting member, and a plurality of balanced toggle-link connections extending between the saw and the retractive means, the toggle-link connections operating to compress the means around its support when the cutting member is moved in one direction and to retract the cutting member upon the release of the latter.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a reciprocatory cutting member, a retracting means disposed transversely thereof 'and duplicate balanced toggle-link connections extending between the retracting means and the cutting member, the toggle-link connections being opposed relative to each other, the cutting member and the retracting means alternately acting upon each other while maintaining their positions transversely to each other.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a reciproeatory cutter, a plurality of spring-retractors and a plurality of balanced toggle-link connections extending between the cutter and the retractors, the toggle-link connections being opposed to each other, the cutter secured to the outer ends of each of the toggle links and the separate spring-retractors beingsecured to the inner ends of the respective toggle links.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising a retractive means, a reciprocatory saw, and a connection between said duplicate opposed toggle-link means and said saw, the saw being attached to one end of the toggle-link connection and the other end of said connection arranged to act upon the means in opposing directions, substantially as set forth.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a reciprocatory saw, a spring-retractor disposed transversely thereof, and a duplicate opposed toggle-link connection between the same, operating longitudinally in the direction of the saw and centrally with relation to the spring-retractor, substantially as set forth.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a spring-wrapped pintle, a reciprocatory saw, and a duplicate opposed togglelink connection between said saw and the springonsaid pintle, substantiallyas set forth.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising pintle-supported springs, a reciprocatory saw, means for securely holding said springs each by one end, and a duplicate balancing toggle-link connection between said saw and the other ends of the springs, substantially as set forth.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising a suitably-supported pintle, spiral springs therearound. means on said pmtle for retaining said springs each by one end, collars movable on the pintle and acting upon the opposite end of each spring, a reciprocatory saw, and duplicate balancing toggle-links connectingsaid saw and said movable collars, substantially as set forth.

9. An apparatus of the character described comprising a dog-bar engaging the work, a plurality of independent retracting means supported upon the dog-bar and out of engagement with the work, the retracting means adjustable transversely with relation to the dog-bar, a cutter and duplicate balancing toggle-links extending between the retracting means and the cutter, the outer ends of the toggle-links each secured to the single cutter, the inner ends of the toggle-links secured to the separate retracting means.

10. An apparatus of the character described comprising a dog, a saw, a retractor, togglelinks connecting said retractor and the saw, and an adjustable connection between said retractor and said dog whereby the former can be shifted and the line of cut moved Without displacing the latter, substantially as set forth.

11. An apparatus of the character described comprising a dog with an outwardly-extending shaft, a saw, a saw-retractor carried by and adjustable along and around said shaft, a toggle-link connection between the saw and its retractor and means for securely holding said retractor after adjustment, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination with a suitable support and a reciprocating cutter, of aspring retracting means mounted on the support and adapted to automatically actuate the cutter in one direction, a duplicate balancing toggle-link connection extending between the retracting means and the cutter and a gravity-actuated means operating to move the cutter in a direction transverse to the direction of movement imparted to the cutter by the retracting means. a

13. The combination withasuitable support and a cutter, of a block slidable on the support, aretracting means mounted on the block, a duplicate opposed toggle-link connection extending between the cutter and the retracting means, and means for automatically actuating the block and its connected mechanism progressively.

1 1. The combination with a work-engaging dog, a shaft extending therefrom and a frame carried by the shaft out of engagement with the work, of a block slidable on the frame, pintles mounted in the block, springs coiled about the pintles, collars secured to the pintles, with which collars the ends of the springs engage, loose collars journaled on the pintles and engaged by the opposite ends of the springs, a cutter, and a plurality of duplicate balancing toggle-links, the outer ends of the 1 links secured to the cutter, the inner ends of the links secured to the respective loose colars.

15. An apparatus of the character described comprising a reciprocatory saw, a spiralspring retractor therefor, a toggle-link connection between the saw and its retractor, and means for securing said retractor in any suitable position relatively to the object to be sawed.

16. The combination with a reciprocatory saw, of a suitable support and a plurality of balanced duplicate toggle-links connecting the saw and support.

17. The combination with a reciprocatory saw, of an adjustable support, a plurality of opposed toggle-links connecting the saw and support and means engaging the links for retracting the saw.

18. The combination with a reciprocatory saw, of a suitable support, a pair of arms pivoted to the support, a pair of links pivotally secured to the saw, the opposite or free ends of the links being pivotally connected to the free ends of the arms.

19. The combination with a reciprocatory saw, of a suitable support, apair of arms pivoted to the support and extending in approximately the same direction, a pair of links pivotally secured to the saw and extending in approximately the same direction, the free ends of the links pivotally connected to the free ends of the arms to cause the opposed arms and links to alternately move into approximately parallel and approximately alind positions with relation to each other, the free ends of the arms approaching each other as they become parallel.

20. The combination with a saw, of a suitable support, a pintle on the support, movable collars mounted on the pintle,togglelinks con necting the collars and saw, torsional springs encircling the pintle, the outer ends of the springs being fixed, the inner ends of the springs secured to the movable collars, and projections carried by the collars and inclosed by the springs to prevent the buckling of the springs.

21. The combination with a saw, of a bar, a support movably mounted on the bar, the support provided with a plurality of slots through any one of which the bar may be received, retracting means connected with the support, and toggle-link connection between the saw and retracting means.

22. The combination with a frame, of a support adjustably secured thereto, a dog-bar secured to the support, a bar connected with the frame, a block adj ustably mounted on this bar, automatic retracting means carried by the block, a saw, toggle-links connecting the saw, and braces for the frame.

23. The combination with a frame, of a stem carried thereby, a support adjustably secured to the stem, a dog-bar secured to the support, a bar connected with the frame, a block adjustably mounted on this bar, retracting means carried by the block, a saw, and togglelink mechanism connecting the saw and retracting means.

24:. In a sawing apparatus, the combination with a framework mounted adjacent the material treated, a block movable on the framework, a plurality of automatic retracting means carried by the block, a cutter and duplicate balanced toggle-links extending between and connecting the cutter and the separate automatic retracting means.

25. The combination with a frame, of a sup port adj ustably secured thereto, a dog-bar adjustably secured to the support, a doubletoothed dog carried by the bar, a block adjustable with respect to the frame and carried thereby, a saw, automatic retracting means mounted on the block, and a toggle-link connection extending between the saw and the retracting means.

26. The combination with a frame, and

means pivotally connected to the frame for securing the latter, oi a bar connected with and spaced apart from the frame, ablock slidable on the bar and out of engagement with the frame, automatic retracting means mounted on the block, a saw, and a duplicate opposed toggle-link connection extending between the saw and retracting means.

27. The combination with a suitably braced and supported frame, of a recessed bar connected therewith, a block slidably mounted on the bar, a beveled pin carried by the block and receivable in the recesses in the bar, an automatic retractor carried by the block, a saw, and toggle-link connection extending between the retractor and saw.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

VALENTINE PFAFF. [L. s]

Witnesses:

A. H. STE. MARIE, F. B. W ORLEY. 

